Fujifilm S1 vs Nikon Coolpix S810c: The Ultimate Small Sensor Superzoom Showdown

As someone who has spent over 15 years knee-deep in camera testing labs, studios, and everything in between, I can tell you one thing for sure: small sensor superzooms are the unsung heroes of the camera world. They’re the budget-friendly workhorses packing serious reach and versatility, ideal companions for travel, wildlife-hunting cheats, or casual street shooters who want a fuss-free all-in-one solution. Today, I’ll be putting two such contenders head to head - the Fujifilm FinePix S1 and the Nikon Coolpix S810c.

Both cameras were announced in 2014, sharing a similar price range and sensor size, but with contrasting designs, features, and photographic ambitions. Let’s dive into a detailed comparison covering everything from specs and ergonomics to image quality and usability across various genres. I’ll also share my hands-on insights, complete with sample image evaluations and technical analysis, so you can confidently decide which one deserves a spot in your bag or shelf.

Getting a Feel: Size, Build, and Handling

First impressions matter. When testing cameras over thousands of hours, I pay close attention to how comfortable a camera feels in real-world shooting conditions. This includes grip shape, button placement, weight, and overall ergonomics - factors that can make or break your experience, especially for extended photo sessions.

Right off the bat, the Fujifilm S1 strikes a commanding presence with its SLR-like bridge camera body. It measures roughly 133x91x110mm and weighs around 680g. This heft and size are not just for show; the body offers a substantial grip that’s perfect for users with bigger hands or those who appreciate a more solid feel when using super-telephoto zooms. The robust build, combined with environmental sealing, means it’s ready to brave a bit of rain or dust - a big plus for landscape and wildlife shooters who aren’t shy about roughing it outdoors.

Contrast this with the Nikon S810c, a much smaller and lighter compact at 113x64x28mm and only 216g. It’s slim, pocket-friendly, and designed for portability above all else. This lightweight nature makes it ideal for casual shooting, quick snapping on the go, or street photography where discreetness counts. However, the tradeoff is less of a traditional grip feel; it’s more clutch-and-point, with less room for clubs for your thumbs or big mitts.

If size and sturdiness are big factors for you, especially if you like to hold your camera steady during long telephoto reaches, the Fujifilm’s bridge-style body wins. Meanwhile, the Nikon’s passport-sized profile suits those who prioritize convenience and portability.

Control Layout and User Interface: Hands-On with the Buttons and Screens

A camera might be a technological marvel, but if the controls aren’t intuitive, it’s a frustrating experience. Having grips on both cameras for days, I focused on how their designs support a seamless shooting workflow.

The Fujifilm S1 features a classic SLR-like top deck with dedicated dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation, alongside intelligently placed buttons for mode changes and drive functions. It’s a dream for enthusiasts who want direct manual control without diving through menus. Meanwhile, the Nikon S810c opts for a simplified compact layout with minimal physical buttons, relying heavily on its touchscreen for settings navigation - a slick choice for those familiar with smartphone interfaces, but potentially sluggish for quick manual adjustments.

This touchscreen is a massive 3.7-inch fixed panel with 1229k-dot resolution, noticeably sharper and more generous than the Fujifilm’s 3-inch fully articulated 920k-dot TFT LCD, which, while ambitious in offering articulation, feels a bit cramped and less crisp by comparison.

The touchscreen’s sensitivity and responsiveness on the Nikon are impressive for 2014-era tech, making on-the-fly shutter release and AF point selection smoother for casual users or vloggers. However, for traditionalists or those who prefer tactile controls over swipes and taps, the Fujifilm’s physical buttons and articulated screen provide a better balance between control and composition flexibility.

Sensor and Image Quality: A Tale of Identical Resolutions with Different Flavors

Both cameras share the same sensor size - a 1/2.3" CMOS measuring 6.17x4.55mm, with an image area of just over 28 mm². They pack 16 megapixels each, delivering a maximum resolution of 4608x3456 pixels at a 4:3 aspect ratio.

Despite similar hardware bases, the devil is in the details: sensor technology and image processing pipelines differ markedly.

The Fujifilm S1 uses a traditional CMOS sensor with an anti-aliasing filter, coupled with sensor-shift image stabilization to counteract shake up to several stops - a boon with its massive 50x zoom lens. Its native ISO runs from 100 up to 12,800, catering to moderate low light shooting. What surprised me most was the S1’s ability to hold onto fine details at lower ISO, thanks to Fuji’s refined image processing and RAW support, which allows serious shooters to squeeze the most from its 16MP data layer.

Conversely, the Nikon S810c employs a BSI (backside-illuminated) CMOS sensor, a design typically enhancing light gathering in small sensors by rearranging the sensor’s wiring to expose more pixel surface area. Although the maximum ISO is capped at 3200 - definitely lower than the Fujifilm’s top ISO some might call cheapskate-ish - the Nikon benefits from onboard Android integration allowing creative app use, but the tradeoff is no RAW support and somewhat weaker noise handling at higher ISOs.

In my lab tests and field trials, both cameras produce decent images in good light, but the Fujifilm S1's RAW output gives it a serious edge for post-processing and dynamic range recovery in complex scenes like landscapes or urban nightscapes. The Nikon’s JPEG outputs are pleasant straight from the camera but offer less latitude for editing.

Image stabilization merits a second mention here: the Fujifilm’s sensor-shift tech worked wonders for me, especially at the extreme telephoto end; handheld shots at 1200mm equivalent came out surprisingly sharp. Nikon’s optical stabilization does its job competently but is less forgiving at the long end of its 12x zoom.

Zoom Ranges and Lens Performance: Telephoto Dreams or Generalists?

If one thing pulls users to small sensor superzooms, it’s the promise of stretching your creative reach without swapping lenses. The Fujifilm S1 boasts an extraordinary lens ranging from 24-1200mm equivalent (a whopping 50x zoom), while the Nikon S810c settles for a more modest but still versatile 25-300mm equivalent 12x zoom.

This means the Fujifilm covers extremes - wide enough for landscapes, tight enough for distant wildlife shots or sports teleconferencing. The downside with such reach is variable aperture: ƒ2.8 at the wide end down to ƒ5.6 at full zoom, standard fare but remember, at ƒ5.6 and beyond, shutter speeds and ISOs often creep up to compensate, testing image quality limits.

The Nikon’s lens, at ƒ3.3-6.3, is a little slower at both ends but sufficient for casual portraits, street shots, or short wildlife bursts.

During real shoots, I noted the Fujifilm lens maintained decent contrast and sharpness from center to edges at wide settings (a notable achievement in superzooms), though expect some softness creeping in when fully zoomed - a necessary evil given the optics challenge here. The Nikon lens is sharpest in the mid-zoom range and softens somewhat at extremes, typical for compact zoom lenses.

Autofocus, Drive Speed, and Shooting Experience

Speed and reliability in autofocus (AF) are critical, especially for wildlife, sports, and street photography where decisive moments count.

• Fujifilm S1 relies on contrast-detection AF with continuous tracking and face detection capabilities. It has a reasonably fast 10fps continuous shooting mode, which impressed me during limited burst tests. Although no phase-detection AF or eye/animal AF modes here, the tracking was steady in good light but struggled a tad in low light or fast-moving scenarios.

• Nikon S810c offers contrast AF with touchscreen touch-to-focus convenience, including multi-area, center-weighted, and selective AF areas, spread over nine points. Continuous shooting maxes out at 8fps - still respectable for this class. The Nikon’s AF system proved quicker to lock in daylight but had occasional hunting in dim conditions.

Neither camera offers pro-grade autofocus finesse, but if you plan to shoot a backyard squirrel or your kid playing soccer, the Fujifilm’s quicker burst rate and longer reach might deliver more keepers.

Video Features: Still Image, Meet Moving Image

Videographers looking for small-sensor superzooms should temper expectations but will find both cameras capable:

• Fujifilm S1 can capture full HD 1920x1080 video at 60fps, recorded in H.264 format. No 4K, no microphone input (audio recorded via built-in mic only). Sensor-shift image stabilization helps reduce shake in handheld footage.

• Nikon S810c also shoots 1080p video but limited to 30fps. Notably, it includes a headphone jack (something many cameras omitted at the time), a small but meaningful advantage for vloggers monitoring audio.

The Nikon’s touchscreen facilitates quick focus pulls during movies, whereas Fujifilm users must rely on manual controls and traditional button steering.

Specialized Photography: Where Each Camera Excels and Falters

Portrait Photography

• Fujifilm S1: Larger aperture at wide end plus RAW output enables better skin tone rendering and post-processing color management. Face detection works reliably, but bokeh is modest at smaller apertures.
• Nikon S810c: Limited aperture and lack of RAW restrict creative control, but the screen and touchscreen AF ease casual portraits.

Landscape Photography

• Fujifilm S1: Environmental sealing plus manual exposure modes make it a solid landscape companion, able to survive light drizzle or dusty trails.
• Nikon S810c: Compactness wins here, but no weather sealing and lack of manual modes limit serious landscape shooting.

Wildlife and Sports

• Fujifilm S1: Winning with an impressive 1200mm equivalent zoom and 10fps burst for distant subjects, though AF isn’t state of the art.
• Nikon S810c: Less reach and slower continuous shooting; better for casual wildlife.

Street and Travel Photography

• Nikon S810c’s small size and discreet appearance scream street shooter’s friend.
• Fujifilm S1 is bulkier but offers pocketable reach for travel telephoto needs.

Macro Photography

• Fujifilm S1 focuses as close as 1cm, excellent for detailed close-ups.
• Nikon S810c can focus down to 2cm; still good though slightly less versatile.

Night and Astro Photography

Neither camera shines here; small sensor noise is limiting. Fuji’s higher ISO ceiling and RAW output offer a slight edge for challenges in dark scenes.

Connectivity, Storage, and Battery Life - The Practical Side

• Both cameras offer built-in Wi-Fi (no Bluetooth or NFC), useful for quick photo sharing.
• Storage-wise, the Fujifilm uses SC/SDHC/SDXC cards; the Nikon uses the smaller microSD format, which can be less robust and slower.
• Battery life favors the Fujifilm S1 with roughly 350 shots per charge compared to Nikon’s 270 frames.
• GPS is optional on the Fujifilm, built-in on Nikon - handy for travel geotagging.

Fujifilm S1 front Fujifilm S1 screen back Nikon S810c front Nikon S810c screen back

Wrapping Up Performance Scores and Where They Stand Overall

I brought together detailed test results, shooting samples, and lab measurements across a suite of photographic tests to rate these cameras:

As expected, the Fujifilm S1 scores higher in manual controls, zoom versatility, burst speed, and image quality thanks to RAW support and better ISOs. The Nikon S810c is a nimble, user-friendly compact system excelling in portability, touchscreen interface, and casual shooting convenience.

For a finer grain view across photography types:

Here, Fujifilm dominates wildlife, landscape, macro, and sports categories while Nikon scores better for street, social, and casual video users.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Should You Choose?

Pick the Fujifilm FinePix S1 if:

• You want the best reach with a massive 50x zoom, perfect for wildlife and sports newbies on a budget.
• You value manual controls, RAW shooting, and image stabilization.
• You shoot outdoors in variable weather and want some protection against elements.
• Your style includes landscape, macro, or serious travel photography requiring versatility over pocketability.
• You’re happy to carry a larger camera for improved grip and control.

Pick the Nikon Coolpix S810c if:

• Portability and low weight trump reach - you want a camera that fits in your jacket pocket.
• You enjoy a touchscreen interface and possibly dabble in Android apps for creative imaging.
• You’re a casual shooter, social sharer, or street photographer placing convenience over controls.
• Video with headphone monitoring and easy touch focus is a priority.
• You have a tighter budget and prefer a straightforward point-and-shoot experience.

In Summary: A Tale of Two Superzooms Serving Different Camps

Neither the Fujifilm S1 nor the Nikon S810c is without compromise, but each offers compelling value aligned to distinct photography needs:

• The Fujifilm S1 is a camera for the cheapskate enthusiast who wants big zoom power, manual control, and some weather toughness without breaking the bank - a real bridge camera classic.

• The Nikon S810c caters more to the on-the-go casual shooter, social content creator, or street photographer who prioritizes size, touchscreen ease, and video flexibility in a compact package.

Both cameras are now solidly budget-friendly options for those valuing convenience over full-frame glory. Your final pick should reflect your shooting style and priorities, which I hope this detailed, hands-on comparison has clarified.

Happy shooting out there, whatever camera you choose!

If you want deeper dives into each camera’s handling quirks, sample RAW files for pixel peeping, or firmware update histories, drop me a line - I’ve got plenty more tested and tallied from years at this awesome gear ride.